Concerned, mother bantam is picking on one 3-wk old chick

[marli365]

I thought my little bantam, Ginger, was a terrific mother up until now. She hatched 3 bantam chicks three weeks ago, one brown and the other two are black.

We had a couple of rainy 40-50 degree days and so I didn't want the 3-week olds to get wet and chilled, so I kept them in their little dirt patch under the house they have to themselves (away from the other 5 chickens).

I noticed her pecking (not hard) her two black chicks a few days ago, and it looked at first that she was trying to get them to pay attention, or eat, or follow her. Now after the two days in the depressing damp dirt yard, there is one who seems the most featherless (was also the last to hatch) and now has a red sore on its back between the wings. I see her peck that exact spot every few minutes, and I am so distressed. Of course, it still snuggles with her and it does not drive it away. Besides the occasional peck, she seems like a great mother.

Last night we sprayed special chicken antiseptic spray on its back and wrapped the body with gauze. But of course, in the morning, they had removed the bandage.
As a distraction, I moved the chicken tractor up to the house so I could keep an eye on her, and even hoe-ed some dirt up so she could dig and dustbathe.
Is there anything I can put over the wound so she doesn't see it? I am hoping that if I can cover the red scab, she might forget about it and stop pecking on it.
Otherwise, should I just bring the two black chicks into the house until they are bigger? I worry that after 3 weeks together, everyone will just be miserable.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

It sounds like she may was raering them off and they were stuck in the cage and they had no wear to go.Thats usually how they tear them off,but being stuck in a cage together they couldn’t get away.Wiuld just Seperate all of them.

 

[marli365]

It sounds like she may was raering them off and they were stuck in the cage and they had no wear to go.Thats usually how they tear them off,but being stuck in a cage together they couldn’t get away.Wiuld just Seperate all of them.

I don't really understand your reply, but I will say that she is a very good mother generally, and since they are only 3 wks old and not feathered out, it would surprise me if she was trying to drive them away. She lets them spend much of the day under her body and wings, and feeds them constantly.

 

[marli365]

I don't really understand your reply, but I will say that she is a very good mother generally, and since they are only 3 wks old and not feathered out, it would surprise me if she was trying to drive them away. She lets them spend much of the day under her body and wings, and feeds them constantly.

I probably overstated the frequency of the pecking. Maybe once every half-hour?

 

[TheTwoRoos]

What I was trying to say,is a hen will run a chick off by pecking at it.She Just took it too far,thinking the chicks were still trying to stick around her when in reality they were just stuck next to her.
But,now that I think about it I don’t think that’s the case.Shes a bad mother if she is pecking her chicks to the point their bleeding.My suggestion would be to keep the chicks in their own brooder and put mom back with the flock.

I don't really understand your reply, but I will say that she is a very good mother generally, and since they are only 3 wks old and not feathered out, it would surprise me if she was trying to drive them away. She lets them spend much of the day under her body and wings, and feeds them constantly.

 

[marli365]

What I was trying to say,is a hen will run a chick off by pecking at it.She Just took it too far,thinking the chicks were still trying to stick around her when in reality they were just stuck next to her.
But,now that I think about it I don’t think that’s the case.Shes a bad mother if she is pecking her chicks to the point their bleeding.My suggestion would be to keep the chicks in their own brooder and put mom back with the flock.

She is not bleeding. There is just a red spot. The day spent in the chicken tractor out in the grass seems to be settling everybody down, and I have not seen the pecking much. I hope this is over.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Yes I would just watch now.

 

[pittmanbirds]

Once a chicken shows blood most chickens will be attracted to the spot and keep picking at it. Hopefully since there back outside it mother won't be able to pick to much.